Staff Reporter: A number of social organizations have jointly organized human chain and protest in New York in the United States to protest the vandalism of 4 temples and 6 shops and a house of the Hindu community in Shiali village of Rupsha upazila of Khulna. The U.S. Women’s Council, Udichi and Progressive Forum took part in the rally, held Tuesday evening (August 10) at Diver City Plaza in Jackson Heights.
Last Saturday (August 7) at around 5:45 pm, more than a hundred youths attacked Shiali village in Rupsha upazila of Khulna with ramdas, chapatis and axes. They suddenly vandalized various shops in the market. At that time the house of Shivapada Dhar was attacked and looted. They also vandalized several temples there. When some people came to stop them, they were beaten and injured. The assailants fled before locals could resist.
The Women’s Council of the United States, Udichi and the Progressive Forum jointly organized a human chain and protest rally to protest the attack and the vandalism of the temple. Udichi Vice President Subrata Biswas, Progressive Forum President and General Secretary Khorshedul Islam and Alim Uddin, Mahila Parishad General Secretary Sulekha Pal, Open Ice’s Mujahid Ansari and Syed Zakir Ahmed Rony, eminent social worker Dinesh Majumder and singer Sabita Das spoke on the occasion. Former student leader Zakir Hossain Bachchu conducted the program.
The speakers sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stop the persecution of minorities. They said that in the year of 50 years of independence, the government of the Liberation War was in power and despite repeated attacks and looting of houses, businesses, shops, temples and places of worship of Hindus and other minorities, the government was not taking any long-term initiative to prevent it Sad.
The speakers demanded exemplary punishment by bringing the communal groups that are fueling this again and again under the law. At the same time, the speakers called upon the government to take initiative to solve the problems of the minorities with the pro-liberation political parties.
BP/SM
